America’s Sole Heavy Icebreaker Heads South as Arctic Competition Intensifies

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star departed its Seattle homeport Thursday for its 29th annual deployment to Antarctica, beginning a months-long mission that underscores both America’s enduring polar presence and the mounting challenges facing its aging icebreaker fleet.

The deployment marks the start of Operation Deep Freeze, an annual joint military mission to resupply United States Antarctic stations in support of the National Science Foundation, the lead agency for the U.S. Antarctic Program. The mission comes as the Coast Guard navigates increasing strategic competition in polar regions while relying on vessels approaching half a century of service.

“Polar Star’s crew does remarkable work maintaining and operating this ship,” said Capt. Jeff Rasnake, commanding officer of Polar Star. “Each year brings unique challenges, and I’m proud to say this crew has risen to meet them all. The way we’ve come together over the course of maintenance, and our logistical preparations is exciting as we enter the operational phase of our annual deployment cycle.”

Commissioned in 1976, the 399-foot Polar Star remains the only U.S. vessel capable of breaking a navigable channel through the ice to reach McMurdo Station, the largest Antarctic station and logistics hub of the U.S. Antarctic Program. Despite reaching nearly 50 years of age, Polar Star remains the world’s most powerful non-nuclear icebreaker with the ability to produce up to 75,000 shaft horsepower.

The cutter’s deployment follows its return to Seattle in September after 308 days away, which included completing the final phase of its comprehensive five-year Service Life Extension Program at Mare Island Dry Dock in Vallejo, California. The $12.7 million final phase focused on recapitalizing integral systems including propulsion, communication, and machinery control systems.

“This is a tremendous ship, and it is in better shape today than it was ten years ago,” Rasnake said. “That’s a testament to the unrelenting efforts of the crew, the enduring support of our mission partners, and the renewed enthusiasm and investment in our nation’s polar icebreaking capabilities.”

The mission takes on added significance as strategic competition in polar regions escalates. The Coast Guard recently responded to Chinese research vessels operating in waters off Alaska’s northern coast, deploying the USCGC Healy to monitor and query the vessels.

“The U.S. Coast Guard is controlling, securing, and defending the northern U.S. border and maritime approaches in the Arctic to protect U.S. sovereignty, and Healy’s operations demonstrate the critical need for more Coast Guard icebreakers to achieve that,” said Rear Adm. Bob Little, commander of the U.S. Coast Guard Arctic District.

The U.S. currently operates three oceangoing icebreakers: the heavy icebreaker Polar Star, which supports Antarctic operations, and two medium icebreakers, USCGC Healy and the newly commissioned USCGC Storis. The addition of Storis has allowed multiple icebreakers to operate simultaneously in Arctic waters for the first time in years.

Recent federal investment signals renewed commitment to polar capabilities. The Big Beautiful Bill allocated nearly $25 billion for polar operations, with $9 billion specifically designated for icebreakers and infrastructure in the high latitudes. The first Polar Security Cutter, under construction in Mississippi, is at least five years from entering service, while a medium-size Arctic Security Cutter could potentially be ready within three years with assistance from international shipyards.

Polar Star will continue supporting Operation Deep Freeze until new Polar and Arctic Security Cutters enter service in the coming decade. Since 1955, Active, Reserve, and Guard members of the U.S. Coast Guard, Air Force, Navy, and Army have supported the U.S. Antarctic Program through air and sea lift of supplies to McMurdo Station.